Breastfeeding in public gets proposed legal protection

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A bill introduced in the Missouri Senate would explicitly give women the right to breastfeed in public.

Current state law requires that women breastfeed in public "with as much discretion as possible." The proposed bill would remove that phrase from the law. It emphasizes that breastfeeding is not sexual conduct or indecent exposure.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Rob Schaaf of St. Joseph, who says some women have been harassed while trying to breastfeed.